1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus used in the handling of electronic components during manufacturing or other processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuit devices are often transported from one location to another in a plastic tube referred to as a dual in-line package (DIP) tube.
FIG. 1 shows a DIP tube 100 carrying integrated circuit devices 110 and two DIP pins 120. The DIP tube 100 has two holes 130, 140. One DIP pin is shown fully inserted within one hole 130 of the tube, and the other DIP pin is positioned for insertion into the other hole 140 of the tube.
FIG. 2 shows a plastic DIP pin 120 having a head 200, a stem 210, and a semi-rigid loop base 220. The loop base 220 is flexible enough such that the loop base may be positioned into a DIP tube hole whose diameter is smaller than the loop base width 230 of the DIP pin 120 without breaking, cracking, or permanently deforming the loop base 220 of the DIP pin 120. Once inserted, the loop base reforms to its original shape and the DIP pin remains inserted until it is forcibly removed from the hole of the DIP tube by pulling upwards on the head 200 of the DIP pin.
Typically, a removable DIP pin is first inserted into a DIP tube hole on one end of the DIP tube. Then, an operator inserts one or more integrated circuit devices into the open end of the DIP tube which is devoid of a DIP pin. Next, once the operator has completed inserting the circuit devices into the DIP tube, a second removable DIP pin is inserted into the hole at the open end of the DIP tube. The DIP pins at both ends of the DIP tube retain the circuit devices within the DIP tube. The circuit devices in the DIP tube may then be transported by moving the DIP tube from one location to another. The circuit devices may then be removed from the DIP tube by removing at least one of the DIP pins and sliding the circuit devices out of the DIP tube. The process of inserting and removing DIP pins into and from DIP tubes is typically performed manually many hundreds of times a day by any single operator.
To insert a DIP pin into a hole, a DIP pin is positioned over the hole and downward pressure is then applied to the head of the DIP pin to force the loop base to temporarily deform such that the DIP pin may be inserted into the hole. Due to the small size of the DIP pin and the DIP tube hole, it is often difficult for operators to adequately align the DIP pin with the DIP tube hole and concurrently apply pressure to securely insert the DIP pin. Typically, an operator first aligns the DIP pin with the DIP tube hole by manually aligning the DIP pin over the DIP tube hole. The operator uses one hand to hold the DIP pin at the DIP tube hole by "pinching" the DIP pin with his fingers or by using tweezers. Then the operator grasps a block or other tool in his other hand and hammers the DIP pin into the DIP tube hole. Such a maneuver may cause damage to the DIP pin, the DIP tube, and/or circuit devices within the DIP tube, any one of which will cause delays in the processing cycle.
An operator may remove a DIP pin from a DIP tube hole by manually pulling on the DIP pin head. Typically, an operator removes a DIP pin from a DIP tube hole by holding the DIP tube in place with one hand and placing his fingernails of the other hand under the DIP pin head and pulling upward. In other situations, an operator may use pliers, or a similar grasping tool, to grasp the DIP pin head before pulling upward and away from the DIP tube. In each situation, the operator needs to exert enough force on the DIP pin to enable the semi-rigid loop base to deform and pass through the DIP tube hole. In exerting such force, the operator may be caught "off-guard" when the DIP pin is completely removed from the DIP tube hole such that circuit devices are accidentally spilled from the tube and damaged. Additionally, operators often break their fingernails, the DIP tube, or may damage or lose the DIP pin during such a maneuver. The results of these removal actions, likewise, cause delays in the processing cycle.